


In the Zone

by ChromeMist



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Lbscexchange, Lbscexchange2020, Light Angst, Lukanette, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromeMist/pseuds/ChromeMist
Summary: Luka visits Marinette while she's in the zone finishing up a gown.
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 6
Kudos: 185
Collections: Lovebugs and Snake Charmers





	In the Zone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aalissy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aalissy/gifts).



> Pinch hit for Aalissy! Theme was masked ball.. Probably not what you were thinking bout it's what started coming out first. I hope you enjoy it though!

"Can't talk, in the zone." Marinette mumbled through the whiring noise of her sewing machine as the trap door to her room creaked open. Luka blinked a moment, then climbed in with a small smile on his face. Turning, he closed the door with one hand while Tikki flew over to hover around the giant plate of goodies he was carrying.

"Hi Luka!" Tikki chirped at him, though she only had eyes for the cookies. "Marinette's been working all day on her dress." The little goddess informed him, then squealed happily when Luka handed her a cookie.

"I know. Her Mom warned me that a hurricane blew through here. I came prepared though." He gestured to the plate in his hand and the guitar strapped to his back. Luka was honestly surprised Marinette was as aware of her surroundings to even hear the door creak. When his girlfriend got into The Zone, he doubted even a nuclear blast going off would affect her. She only reacted to Akuma Alerts out of muscle memory more than anything else when she got into a zone.

Suddenly his messenger bag jostled, thumping against his hip. Quickly he opened it, allowing Sass to fly out with his container of precious eggs. Luka smiled as he watched his partner float over to where Tikki was happily munching on her cookie on Marinette's chaise. It has been almost two years now that they had been given their miraculous full time. 

Marinette had confident in him what had been her deciding factor. After Chloe had fought off an akumatization, and then Hawkmoth himself, Marinette realized that now more than ever, she needed a full team that she could trust. Chloe had tried to fight him herself without Pollen's help. She has been _so tired_ of being used by him, of him constantly trying to waver her off the path of getting her Miraculous. 

But in doing so, she had shown Ladybug that maybe she and the other could be trusted. Maybe Matter Fu was a little wrong. And that Hawkmoth was getting more bold, more dangerous as the years went on. They had come _so close_ to capturing him at times. But they had also come even closer to losing each other.

Luka fiddled with the bangle absentmindedly as he tried not to think about all the _almosts_ and _close calls_ and _last breaths_ that he had reset. A year ago had been the last straw for him, a he'd reset just before Ladybug had... Luka shook his head, trying to banish the memory and the breakdown he'd had in this very bedroom after.

The eighteen year old joined the two little munching gods on the chaise. He smiled at Sass, who had his tail wrapped protectively around Tikki. Luka couldn't help thinking that he and his kwami were so alike. Chuckling, he took his acoustic out of the case and settled it on his lap. Looking around the room for inspiration though, he found none. 

Contrary to popular belief, both he and Juleka did not like the 'lived in look.' That was completely an Anarka thing. They tolerated it in the common areas, but kept their shared room tidy. Luka often found the clutter to be more stifling than helpful. The chaos that inspired him came from people themselves, not their stuff. 

Marinette's latest project lay scattered all over. Swatches of fabric, spools of ribbon, and pieces of patterns lay spread all over. Tulle and thread and scissors, beads and embroidery thread, glue and paper... And Marinette hunched over her machine. Her chaotic energy was here, but muted because she was so focused and surrounded by the massacre of her creative storm. 

' _Guess I'll just practice for the dance then_.' He thought and began playing through the set list.

The Americans high school tradition of prom had been sweeping through Europe in the last few years. Lukas own lycée had finally approved the flashy dance,, and had asked Marinette to organize it even though she was only in her first year of lycée. She'd had a reputation of putting together events very well that followed her through her school years.

The committee she had put together decided on a masked ball theme. Go big or go home on their first try was the general consensus in their first meeting. To save money they had asked both Nino and Kitty Section to play,. They agreed to taking turns so they all could have a chance to dance with their dates and enjoy the party. Lila didn't really care one way or the other about the dance, but Marinette had worked so hard on it. He was so proud of all that she had accomplished over the year, and getting to tote t her boyfriend around the island she had put together would be the icing on the cake (that Tom had baked, being that they were catering the event. Marinette and Sabine had to get Tom to dial back the enthusiasm from going overboard with the goodies).

The sound of the sewing machine stopping and a loud stomach growl brought Luka out of his own headspace. Still continuing to play though, he looked up and watched Marinette come out of her own zone. She blinked, looked around her room, then spotted Luka sitting on her chaise with the kwamis.

"When did you get here?" She stretched her arms above her head. Luka couldn't help but appreciate the view as her tank top rode up and revealed a toned abdomen.

"I've been here about maybe an hour now." He explained while gesturing to the plate he'd set down near her earlier. She grabbed a croissant sandwich as her stomach growled again. Picking up the plate, she moved to join him in the chaise and settled down on his other side facing away from the neck of the guitar.

"I didn't even hear you come in." She commented, laying her head on his shoulder and sighing contently.

Luka turned his head and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "You were pretty deep in your zone. You even said so when I came in, though you didn't recognize me."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be Marinette. I know how you get when you're in The Zone. It's not like I don't do the same with my music." Marinette still didn't look convinced, so Luka tried a different tactic. "Is the dress done?" She nodded with her face stuffed full of food, her cheeks puffing out. "Can I see it? Give me a little fashion show?" He pleaded.

Marinette smiled and nodded her head while swallowing the food. "Yeah, I can do that. Might as well knock you off your feet now rather than the night of the dance. We need you functioning then." She replied with a confident smirk. 

Luka smiled wide as pure joy (and a little bit of hormones) rushed through him. He loved it when Marinette was confident in herself and proud of her accomplishments. It didn't hurt that she was getting better with the flirting either.

Marinette bundled up the dress, grabbed her mask from her desk, and rushed behind her screen. Tikki flew over to help manage Marinette while Sass perched on Luka's shoulder, wrapping his tail around Luka's neck.

"I just need to do a few more details, and I need to see if there's anything to alter in your outfit. But other than that, I think I'm done!" Marinette said through the screen.

"That's great! Everything you make is beautiful. I can't wait for you to show me off."

"You'll be the most beautiful princess there." She teased back.

"Next to you Marinette, I'm only second fairest in the land."

"As long as you don't take my heart."

Luka mock pouted even though she couldn't see him. "I thought I had that already! Do I need to work harder to get it? I can step my game up."

Marinette laughed. "No don't! I've only just gotten used to the compliments you give me now!"

"Well you deserve to know how wonderful you are. If it's ever too much let me know and I'll tone it down."

"Luka, no, it's fine. Really! It's nice to hear I'm appreciated." Luka agreed. After the last two years of her collége life, she needed all the confidence boosting that her old classmates destroyed. And though he'd never say it out loud, he was still extremely disappointed in his sister especially for her role. But those were thoughts for another time. At that moment, Marinette stepped out from behind the screen and Luka forgot how to breathe.

"Besides..." She picked up the earlier topic. "You've already had my heart for years." She turned around and exposed her back. "Zip me up?"

For a second, Luka didn't recognize where the sudden high pitched whine was coming from. Then he realized it was him and slapped a hand over his mouth. Sass's hissing laugh in his ear caused Luka to whine more, out of embarrassment this time. Seeing his neglected guitar aside though, he quickly jumped up and joined her. Zipping the dress up gently, Luka then took Marinette's hand and let her twirl slowly.

The dress was exquisite in his mind. Soft pink fabric hugged her modestely covered chest and back. White tulle puffed the floor length skirt out. Starting from her right side, gold embroidered cherry blossoms bloomed on branches and twisted around her body and down. Fitting hold cranes were dotted through the waving blossoms. From his fittings, Luka knew his suit complimented hers in a darker blue fabric with the same gold embroidery mirroring hers on his left side. The mask over her eyes was the same pink shade with gold trim.

Luka twirled her again before bringing her close to himself. Wrapping one arm around her waist while holding the other, he began to sway back and forth. She giggled and placed her free hand on his shoulder and swayed with him. In the air next to them, Tikki and Sass started humming and touched flippers, mimicking the young couples movements.

"I'm not at my quota for compliments today, am I?" Luka asked, bringing her closer and touching his forehead to hers. She shook her head, a light bush staining her cheeks. Luka smiled. "You're so beautiful Marinette. I'm so lucky."

"I think I'm the lucky one here, Luka. You're so talented, and you're so good to me." She countered. Luka grinded and nuzzled his nose against hers.

"Are we going to start a compliment war again?"

Marinette returned the smile and nuzzle. "No, because you know I'd win. You know I don't lose a competition."

Luka kissed her gently. "I don't mind you winning, but that doesn't mean I can't try."

"Bring it on Couffaine."

"Oh it'll be brought."

Both broke down into helpless laughter after that. After they caught their breath, they smiled at each other and kept dancing to the kwami's song.


End file.
